Workholder



June 17, 1930. F, BORCHERT Y 1,763,685

WORKHOLDER Filed Feb. 18, v 1929 Patented .lune` 17, 1930 entren srares earner orales FRED L. BORCHERT, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS Y WORKHOLDER Application mea February 1s, 192e. serrano. 340,756.

My invention relates to means for holdingV bars or `articles of soft or plasticmaterial sucli as ice cream, candy, cake, soap, etc., while the same are being acted upon or transferred from position to position. Vhile the device may be used in hand-operations and with any suitable machine it is especially adapted for use with a confection making machine such as described in my Patent No. 1,687,707, granted October 16, 1928, and'is an improvement on the work vholder dlsclosed in my pending application, Serial No.- 297,349.

While the device disclosed in Vmy abovementioned pending application is entirely suitable for theI purpose set out, it is, nevertheless,subject to certain objections to which `the present invention is not. ln the' older construction the' impaling elements or wires, were inclosed in closely fitting tubes in which the wires were directed and caused to bend through a comparatively sharp angle at each operation of the elements. lt was, theretore, necessary to use a comparatively flexible wire for the purpose. Because ofthis flexibility o the Wires the exposed impaling ends thereof were easily bent out of shape, Vcausing them to slide into-and out of the tubes with diliiculty, and resulting in excessive power consumption and other operating difficulties. Furthermore, the device was eX- pensive to manufact-ure because o the castings used and the care required m its construction. I y

I have, therefore, aimed to provideimpal-` ing elements of a novel lorm and sha-pe together with improved means for guiding saidfimpaling elements whereby the latter Vmove in their guides with but little distortion. In a preferred embodiment the impaling elements are wire like elements of material not easily distorted which areadapted to converge when emerging` from the guides and be projected into the material in curved paths.

f A still further object of my invention is to provide an article or workholding device which may be cheaply constructed and 1n which .theparts are readily changeable and Vbetter understood by `reference to thefo'llowf.;

by blocks 10 and 11 and bolts 12 and 13 and repairs easily made, and which is sturdy in construction and efficient in operation.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated as the invention becomes ing description and when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings .in which- Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of a work holder embodying my invention; t

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the front half of the frame removed; and

Figs. 3, 4,' and 5 arejsections on the lines 8 3, 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

The drawings show aV preferred form off my invention adapted to be used either with a machine for making confection such as described in my above-mentioned patent or with any suitable operatingk mechanism wherein material capable of being handled by impaling means is to be moved, handled,

held or transferred. In Figs. 1 and 2, an end 7 of the holder is aA bar `designed to beheld at one end in the operating mechanism and be given various movements either vertically a. or horizontally depending upon the motion to be imparted to the material being handled.` The frame ot the holder consists in spaced side members held in proper spaced relation having arm port-ions 8 and head portions 9. The ends of the arm portions are spaced by being attached on opposite sides of the supporting bary 7 through bolts 14 and dowel pins 15. The head portions-9 of the `side members are formed integral with'the arms 8 and 4are provided with inwardly flanged edges 16 and 17 meeting to form a peripheral wall between the side members. The top 'or' co-planar edges 18 adapted to slidably cooperate with a cap or closure 19. Openings the head is provided with outwardlyiianged'V490 -to prevent free vertical movement thereof under the force of gravity but Apermitting movement thereof by means of the vertical leg of the lever. Impaling elements 24 and 25 are rotatably attached to the horizontal leg of the lever through eyelets 26 on the impaling elements and pins 27 on the lever the latter being slotted on each side, as at 28, to permit the impaling elements to be inset and provide operating space therefor. The elements may be installed or replaced by removing` the cap 19 and raising` the lever to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the eyelets may he removed from or placed upon the pins and the lever again lowered where the side members will hold the eyelets and pins in proper relation. The impaling elements are of the general shape shown in Fig. 2, though, no doubt, a large variety of shapes could be made to serve the purpose and comprise the substantially straight portions 24 and 25 and the curved portions 24 and 25 joined together at angles 32 and 33. The may be made from any slightly flexible material, a heavy grade of spring wire having been found suitable, and should be capable of being flexed from the dotted line positions in Fig. 2 to the full line positions shown therein when being installed or replaced, the points thereof being flexed back over the wedge-like tip 29 of the block 11 which, when the lever is lowered to the operation position shown in Fig. 1, directs them downwardly into the proper openings 30 and 31 between the block and marginal walls.

The impaling elements in their retracted position lie in and are guided and protected by the head and marginal walls and are adapted to be projected and retracted there from in a uniform manner, the block 11 and the marginal walls guiding and directing the emerging elements. It will be seen that in operation the elements are designed to be actuated from the vertical leg 21 of the lever. The lever and impaling elements are shown in solid lines, Fig. 1, in the retracted position with the vertical leg of the lever forward and the elements drawn up into the head. The curved portions 24 and 25 of the elements lie closely along and substantially follow the curvature of the marginal walls 16 and 17. Vhen the leg 21 is drawn back to the dotted line position shown in this figure the horizontal leg 2O moves as down to the dotted line position. This downward movement, through pressure on the straight portions 24 and 25 of the elements, causes the curved portions thereof, 24 and 25', to slide along the marginal walls 16 and 17 and be projected through the openings 30 and 31 until the leg 20 strikes the upper edge of the marginal wall 16 and the impaling elements reach the dotted line positions of Fig. 1. The elements are here shown as having impaled a block of material 32, such as ice cream. It will be evident that the impaling elements must be so shaped as to enter and leave the material without setting up strains within the block or chipping the surface and must be guided to enter and leave the material along a uniform are. The marginal walls 16 and 17 cooperate with the block 11 to bring about this result.

Those skilled in the art will realize that I have provided a highly improved work holder. The device may be manufactured Iby high speed production methods and is, therefore, a much cheaper product than heretofore obtainable. The impaling elements may be made from very strong material to produce very sturdy and almost indestructible elements. The impaling elements are very easily replaced. The device as a whole is so simple as to be readily understandable and repairable by any person who may have occasion to use it and so sturdy as to require practically no repair or adjustment.

I have described and illustrated a single embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that innumerable changes and alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A work holder of the character described having impaling elements each adapted to be projected lengthwise therefrom through a substantially cross-wise movement thereof within the holder, and enter a block of material substantially on the arc of a circle.

2. A work holder of the character described having impaling elements adapted to be projected lengthwise through substantially vertical movement thereof within the holder, and means for guiding the movement of said elements whereby they are caused to move substantially on the arc of a circle through material to be impaled.

3. fr work holder as set forth in claim 2 in which the impaling elements are col lectively actuated by a lever mounted within the holder.

4. In a work holder of the character described impaling elements a portion of each being adapted to be projected therefrom which normally is shaped to the arc of a circle.

In a work holder of the character decribed, impaling elements of stiflly flexible wire a portion of each being adapted to be projected therefrom which normally is shaped to the arc of a circle, and marginal means arranged to cooperate with the projected portion of said elements for directing their movement.

6. A work holder vof the character described having a frame, impaling elements adapted to be projected therefrom in a horizontally disposed direction by substantially vertical movement of said elements therein, and means for imparting vertical movement to said impaling elements.

7. In a work holder having a frame, an actuating lever, and impaling elements adapted to be projected therefrom to enter a. work-piece in a horizontally disposed direction by substantially vertical movement of said elements therein, a head portion of said frame having marginal means for directing the motion of the impaling elements.

8. A work holder of the character described having a Ysupporting arm, spaced side members attached thereto, a lever supported therebetween, and impaling elements pivotally attached to said lever lying between said side Amembers and adapted to be projected therefrom by means of said lever for impaling blocks of material to be handled.

9. A work holder of the character described comprising a holder frame having an open interior defined by opposed marginal guide wallsconverging toward one end and terminating at such end in spaced relation, guide means interposed between said walls at said end thereof and forming therewith spaced openings through which impaling elements are adapted to be projected, impaling elementsV disposed within said frame with their points resting within said spaced openings, and means for projecting the impaling elements through said openings, the impaling elements being guided by said marginal walls andthe intermediate guide means so that they will be projected in diverging relation.

l0. A work holder of the character described comprising a holder frame having an open interior defined by opposed marginal guide walls converging toward one end and terminating at such end in spaced relation, guide means interposed between said walls at said end thereof and forming therewith spaced openings through which impaling elements are adapted to be projected, impaling elements disposed within said frame with their points restingwithin lsaid spaced openings, and means for projecting the impaling elements through said openings.

ll. A work holder of the character described having impaling elements normally disposed within the holder in converging relation and adapted to be projected in diverging relation, downwardly converging marginal walls upon said holder adapted to guide and direct the emerging elements without appreciable flexing thereof, and operating means for projecting and retracting the impaling elements.

l2. A work holder of the character described having impaling elements normally disposed within the holder proper in converging relation and adapted to be projected in Y diverging relation, operating means forprojecting and retracting the impaling elements, and means for so operating the impaling elements without apprecielements supported between said guide walls' in converging relation having curved portions adapted to be projected therefrom in diverging relation substantially on the arc of a circle, and means for imparting substantially vertical movement to the impaling elements, said elements being guided by said marginal guide walls and said guide means for projection as described.

14. AV workl holder of the character described having opposed marginal guide walls converging toward one end and guide means interposed therebetween at one end, a pivotally supported actuating lever, impaling elements supported between said guide walls in converging relation having substantially straight portions pivotally attached to said actuating lever and adapted to remain within said holder and curved portions adapted to be projected therefrom in diverging re lation substantially on the arc of a circle, and means for imparting substantially vertical movement to the impaling element portions within the holder, said curved portions being' guided by said marginal guide walls and said guide means for projection as described. w

l5. A work-holder of the character described having impaling elements normally disposed within the holder proper in converging relation and adapted to be projected in diverging relation, and operating means for projecting and retracting the impaling elements.

In witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

' FRED L. BORCI-IERT. 

